A day after the MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi was prevented by Maharashtra Police from entering Malegaon, a team of Maharashtra Police on Monday visited Hyderabad and handed over a notice from Thane Police Commissioner to MIM Assembly floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi asking him not to visit the district on Tuesday.
The notice was given under Section 144. Akbaruddin, who was last year arrested for an alleged hate speech, told the reporters that the notice cannot force him to change his programme. “As a public representative I have a right to visit any part of the country,” he said. Akbaruddin was scheduled to visit Aurangabad and Mumbra near Mumbai to attend Iftar parties and address a public meeting.
“The police notice is politically motivated because some political parties are afraid of the MIM becoming stronger in Maharashtra,” he said. “We will challenge the police notice in the court and face it democratically,” he added.
Earlier the police in Malegaon tried to stop Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday evening. But after arguing with the police officials, he managed to enter the town. The police imposed the condition that he should not address any public meeting there. Owaisi informed the officials that he was in the town to attend an Iftar party and not to address any meeting.